Buy Far Side Virtual by James Ferraro on Bleep. Download MP3, WAV, FLAC.

's latest stares down our contemporary world of the future, invaded by iPads, overwhelmed by Skype meetings, and caught up in the unnecessary conveniences of self-serve frozen yogurt spots, with an equal sense of dread and awe. All those 1980s and 90s approximations of the future, in which we'd collectively have luxury stacked on top of luxury, actually sort of arrived, and they're totally awesome-- and really fucking creepy. Beautifully Human Jill Scott Rare. Far Side Virtual is inspired by goofy junk like (composed by Brian Eno, it should be mentioned) and the melodies that kick out of a medium-priced keyboard when you punch the 'demo' button. It's a collection of eerily wholesome sounds delivered in an uncomfortably straightforward manner.

Either a whole lot of work or very little work went into this record. This is a 'sell-out' album. Not in the pejorative sense of pandering-- it's actually a much more difficult listen than his previous work-- but because it's intended to score mindless comfort and endless hours of outlet shopping.

And unlike his other releases, which toyed with similar concepts of getting lost in the technological, consumerist singularity of energy drinks, action flicks, and worldwide web convenience, this one doesn't send the soundtrack through the gossamer hum of a VHS. There's no distance between the concept and the execution here. Every sound on, say, 'Fro Yo and Cellular Bits'-- a triple threat of rocking drums, melting synths, and a guitar solo that wants to be Eddie Van Halen but comes closer to -- is clear as a bell. Indeed, the songs here are exactly the same as what they're ostensibly parodying, which is bold and maybe even the point. Such dedication to an aesthetic means Far Side Virtual gets a little tedious: It's 16 songs that aren't all that catchy but aren't exactly ambient either.

Subsumed by his concept, Ferraro is one with the buying and selling machine, which was perhaps his perverse goal all along. 'Hopefully these songs were made available for ringtone,' he declared in this, 'and the album will be condensed into ringtone format, so the album won't be the centerpiece, it will just dissipate into the infrastructure.' There is however, an obsessive focus on authenticity that really works towards justifying the album's goofy indulgences. Quite a few tracks feature a robotic voice speaking to you ('Sir, Richard Branson's avatar says hello'), providing a bizarre, world-building aspect to the project. And, hey, this kind of music is pretty great!

There is a place for pleasant, lilting tunes made to be ignored. The propulsive MIDI symphony of 'Dubai Dream Tone' and the stiff jazz on are undeniable and surprisingly affecting-- like a cyborg Vince Guaraldi was placed in front of a keyboard and told to knock out some somber tunes. The nightmarish qualities of the music begin to break through on 'Dream On' and 'Condo Pets', both of which possess some of the creepy, cacophonous drone of Citrac or, subtly unveiling the horrors behind music that's just way too springy and wide-eyed. Download Free English Songs With Lyrics Video.  You suddenly realize you're listening to 45 minutes of utilitarian music that doesn't really have a purpose. Can something be utopian and dystopian at the same time? Maybe even always.